League of Legends (LoL) Question: When do you engage as Akali?

Posted in Champions | Tags: Akali 3,872

When do you engage as Akali?

Asked by Marumo on April 5, 2020

I've been trying to learn (I've been searching for a main for like 3 seasons, and think it might be her!) and I've run into a problem. I've no idea what I'm actually looking for in order to get a kill as her. I've read a tonne of guides and they're like "oh gunblade is a power spike" or "use Q + Passive" to trade.
I don't understand how to actually start an engage, and when to abandon an engage. Am I meant to start my engage with my ult or my E? What do I do if I miss my E?

I know it's good to start an engage if my enemy waste an ability, but what do I do if they're playing super safe and holding onto their abilities and are just matching my push? I can't roam, or I'll lose cs and plates when they do use abilities to push. I can't engage on them because (most) mid laners have some form of cc or way to stop my engage.

I guess this is just assassin 101 to most people, but I'm just struggling to understand these concepts. Any help would be amazing!

Answers (2)

(120) |

Well if you have all abilities ready and the opponent is low on health or your jungler is waiting for follow up or you think you can win a long 1v1 and/or the opponent is over extended there is almost always a room to engage. In my opinion you are thinking about it too much. When you don't land E, well then nothing happens, just try it again next time a good situation occurs, or just + if you think it is worth it. Feel free to start your engage with whatever fits your playstyle more. Also If enemies are playing super safe there are still some solutions - you can try to freeze the wave by only last hitting enemy minions. This will make the wave go to your side of mid lane and now the opponent can be vulnerable. You can also play safe just like him/her, just farm and make sure you get as many CS as you can, you can also leave your own lane and look for kills somewhere else. But don't think about all of this too much, Akali is one of the hardest champions in the entire game, it takes a lot of time and practise before you can actually recognise the right situation and solution. Watch videos, train in practise tool, read guides but mainly play . Also, If it is possible team up with a jungle player. If you have any jungler friend it can make things a lot easier. Sorry If my help is a bit - well - unhelping... but it seems to me that you are just overthinking it a bit, just relax and listen to your heart.

(14) |

It actually helps a lot!
I guess I have been overthinking my engages too much, and I guess I won't really learn what I can do with her until I learn what I can't do. This is the first time I've ever actually played an Assassin, before this I played Veigar, Soraka and Jinx and with basically all of them the number 1 rule was "stay alive no matter the cost". I guess I just need to get used to the idea that it's more important that I get in and kill the carries than to be trying to stay alive at all costs.

Thank you so much!

(120) |

I am glad I helped. Good luck in your future games with her <3

u have to attack when your oponent misses his ability.specialy roots and stuns.like q for lux
or if u want to start the fight u need to find a good position were there is ni minion in your e way or his jngler is at bot or he has came so clase to u that u can q him easily

(14) |

Thanks for the response, but this doesn't really help me. I actually specifically said in my post;

Quoted:

I know it's good to start an engage if my enemy waste an ability

which is pretty much exactly what you're talking about.

The second bit about map awareness doesn't answer much either because you're talking about engaging with E (or Q if they're close enough which they wouldn't because I talk about people playing too safe for me to do that), which I also mention as a possibility and then I ask